L I S A S C H O E F E R
painting around the world
SYMBOLS
OF
DEMOCRACY
Exploring and reflecting symbols of European democracy - in the former Berlin wall district, Bonn, European capitals and European institutions.
For the past four years, I have been working on my project "Symbols of Democracy", which have regained special significance in Europe and worldwide in recent times.
Strasbourg and Brussels
The foundations of the series were laid in 2019 during the Brexit negotiations with the European Parliament in Strasbourg, followed by the European Court of Human Rights, the Council of Europe and the European Parliament in Brussels.
For a complete view of the pictures simply click on the image:
The Berlin Government District
In the summer of 2020, it was particularly important to me to capture the Berlin government district as a symbol of the connection between East and West and an important cornerstone of the EU in its current form on the 30th anniversary of German reunification on 3 October 2020 .
Working for several days directly on-site, in oil and on large canvases, enabled me to paint the parliament and government buildings in very different atmospheres throughout the seasons.
Bonn, Munich and the Hambach Castle
The former government buildings in Bonn should of course not be missing from this ensemble and, as important institutions of democracy after 1945, are an interesting juxtaposition to the places where politics is practised in Germany today.
Hambach Castle, a symbol of the German democratic movement after the French Revolution, is aignificant historical element in the series of paintings. But there will also be modern places relevant to democracy, such as the shipyard of the Solidarnosc trade union in Gdansk, a square of young student life in Wroclaw, and the reunification monument in Plauen (Eastern Germany).
Paris, Rome and Buenos Aires
In Paris, I painted the Assemblée Nationale and the French Sénat. There, I was given the opportunity to paint the impressive "Escalier d'honneur" and other important historical views directly on-site. The Quirinal Palace of the Italian President in Rome and the Leopoldinische Trakt of the Hofburg in Vienna follow as the residence of the Italian and Austrian presidents.
The Quirinal Palace in Rome as well as the Presidential Chancellery in Vienna enable me to include places unique to the history of democracy such as the Quirinale Court of Honour and the Hofburg Palace in the series. The German Consulate in Wroclaw is planning to make the exhibition accessible to a wider audience in Poland.
Outside Europe, in spring 2023, I captured Argentina's Supreme Court in Buenos Aires directly on-site, where a military junta was tried in a civilian court for the first time ever in 1985. The Plaza de Mayo, site of the peaceful demonstrations of the "madres" of the disappeared during the military dictatorship, is also part of the series.
The International Court of Justice in Den Haag will include once more justice as an element of democracy in the series.
Making Of - Work process
My work process is quite unusual, few painters work outside and directly on-site these days, and it is quite a challenge to take your whole painting equipment with you. Large canvas (mostly 150 x 100 cm), easel, and a backpack with oil paint and paint brushes. Since I don't have more than two hands, I am finally using "Der Spiegel" or a similar magazine as a palette and fold it afterwards to store it in my backpack. But the advantage of adapting to different light atmospheres, the clouds and the seasonal colours or even the artificial light is obvious: the painting becomes so much more lively, you literally dive into the motive and the surroundings, almost forgetting everything around you.
The painting of the Hambach Castle is an exception: I finished the flags during the shooting for the exhibition at the State Representation of Rhineland-Palatinate in Berlin.
Thanks to the technique I learned during my studies in Paris, I only use three to five colours plus white, one or two blues, one or two red tones, and yellow.
Mixing these basic colours and creating the complimentary colours allows me to create a fascinating universe of shades, and I can travel with a reduced amount of oil paint.
